With the election of Alvaro Echeverry to Colombia’s National Electoral Council (CNE), replacing the resigned Cesar Lorduy, the Colombian government may now hold greater influence over the country’s highest electoral authority.
This shift could benefit the government in key matters moving forward, such as the investigation into alleged irregularities during Gustavo Petro’s 2022 presidential campaign, and decisions regarding the future of the ruling coalition, the Historical Pact, as a unified party in next year’s elections.
New Electoral Council member foreshadows a more pro-Petro majority in Colombia
This morning, the Colombian Congress elected Alvaro Echeverry as the new member of the CNE by a wide majority in both chambers. Echeverry’s appointment follows the resignation of Cesar Lordoy, who aims to run in the 2026 elections.
The vote was held by a show of hands during a public session, marking a departure from previous similar votes that used secret ballots cast in ballot boxes. Echeverry received broad support not only from the ruling Historical Pact coalition but also from some center-right factions, including groups that typically oppose the government.
Though Echeverry belongs to Colombia Justa Libres, a party declared independent from President Petro’s government, political analysts highlight his closeness to the administration, particularly to figures like Roy Barreras and Interior Minister Armando Benedetti.
Echeverry, who until recently served as director of Prior Consultation at the Ministry of the Interior, has a political background that includes involvement in the campaign of Colombia Humana—President Petro’s party, part of the Historical Pact coalition—and prior ties to the center-right Partido de la U.
The other candidate for the position, Plinio Alarcon, received significantly less support than Echeverry, securing votes only from former President Alvaro Uribe‘s Democratic Center party and a few independent lawmakers who are not aligned with the Petro administration.
Opposition seeks to annul Echeverry’s election
On the same day Alvaro Echeverry was elected to the National Electoral Council, the opposition party Democratic Center filed a petition with the Council of State to nullify the election.
Despite securing a large majority of the votes—205 votes compared to his opponent’s 50—the election has drawn criticism from government opponents, who submitted a request hours later to declare the result invalid. Their argument centers on alleged irregularities in the process.
The petition claims that political parties were not properly informed about how to present candidates competing for the position.
Meanwhile, the newly appointed CNE magistrate, distancing himself from the controversy, stated that his role will require “composure, a calm vision, and active listening to all sectors.” Echeverry emphasized that his duty “cannot echo biases; it must be a space of guarantees where the law is not bent and the country is not fragmented by minor interests.”
Regarding cases he will now have to investigate alongside other CNE magistrates—including the alleged illegal financing of President Petro’s campaign—Echeverry urged caution.
“I am not familiar with the case file. I do not know what I will face. And I say frankly, I believe the very question is an issue, because you cannot ask someone elected as a magistrate of any court how they will rule or respond to matters about which they have no specific knowledge,” he said.